Page 63 of Beautiful Life

“I hope so, too,” I respond. “One more thing. Our mother is in town right now. I have no idea how long she’ll be here, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea for her to see Tina. Our mother, she can be relentless. I’d like to keep her off the visitors list if that’s possible. I haven’t told her where Tina is, but she’s proven to be,” I pause and look up at Tony, his face turns hard at the description of my mother. I look back at the manager and finish. “Resourceful.”

She looks at me with understanding. “We’ll do what we can.”

I sigh, look around and decide to let it go. I’ve done all I can. She wanted to be back in Omaha and I made that happen. She said she was ready to get help and I made that happen, too. Now it’s up to her.

What I really need to do is figure out what to do about my mother. She’s made no plans to leave and she’s about to drive Tony to the looney bin calling him all the time about Tina. I’ve asked him if he regrets giving her his contact information and all he says is, “Better me than you. But your mom’s a pain in the ass.”

Don’t I know it.

As we make our way to the lobby, I hear my phone ring and pull it out to look down at the screen. Speaking of the devil, or the she-devil as the case may be, I sigh and answer my phone.

“Mom,” I answer coolly.

“It’s time you talk to me, Leigh. That man can’t keep you away from me forever and I need to know what’s going on with Tina,” she demands, like she has the right to demand anything in this situation, which she absolutely does not.

I look to Tony and his face has turned to stone hearing it’s my mom. He holds his hand out to me for me to give him my phone. I give him a shake of my head to which he sighs, shakes his own head and looks to the ceiling.

On my own exasperated sigh, I say to my mother, “I’m taking care of it. She’s getting the help she needs but it’s up to her. That’s all you need to know.”

“That’s all I need to know? Where is she at?” she yells through the phone.

“She’s safe and she’s getting help. No one can see her right now anyway.”

“You have to tell me where she is, Leigh.”

“You know what, mom? I don’t have to do anything. I’m the one with the connections who found her, I’m footing the bill, and I’m the one who arranged for her to get help. She needs to focus on getting better, not dancing around the drama you lay at her feet. Leave her be.”

She has the nerve to sound surprised. “I can’t believe you said that to me.”

“Well, believe it,” I return as I look up and Tony is wearing a grin. I smile back at him and say to my mother, “It’s the new me, what can I say?”

“Well,” she huffs and then goes on to make the declaration, “I’m almost out of groceries!”

“Then you should find a grocery store. I’ve got to go.”

“That was fun,” Tony says.

I frown and cock my head at him. “No, it wasn’t. Nothing is ever fun when it comes to my mother.”

“Sweetheart, I know your mother’s not fun. I was talking about you. Or should I say, ‘the new you,’” he adds.

“Whatever.” I start to move toward the door.

Tony grabs my hand, walking me out of the building. “What do you want to do now?”

“I don’t know. I still need to get a costume for Joe’s party next weekend. You want to go shopping?” I ask brightly.

Tony throws me a glance. “Not really.”

“What are you going to be?” I keep on.

He looks ahead, walking toward his Explorer. “Nothing.”

I stop and pull on his hand. “Nothing? You can’t be nothing.”

He yanks me back to keep me moving. “Yeah I can.”

“But I’m going to be Madonna,” I declare.

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